Portable tent apparatus

ABSTRACT

Portable tent apparatus comprising tent fabric, tent poles and a canister. The tent fabric is permanently attached to a roller permanently mounted within the canister whereby the tent fabric is wound upon the roller for storage in the canister and is unwound therefrom for setting up the tent. The poles are collapsible for storage within the canister and rapidly extendable for setting up the tent. The poles and canister combine to form a unitary structure for support of the tent fabric. The canister is horizontally extendable from the poles for mounting attachment of the canister upon an external structure, such as a vehicle, to provide a tent fabric canopy in interconnecting covering relationship between the erected tent and the vehicle. Height adjustment means are provided for varying the vertical displacement of the canister relative to the erected tent poles to accommodate variations in vehicle height or other location attachment of the canister to the vehicle or other external structure. The canister, with the poles and fabric stored therein, may be transported in attached relationship to the vehicle, and tent erection may be accomplished without removal of the canister from the vehicle.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Sidney L. Perry 5145 Kelvin Ave., Woodland Hills, Calif. 91364 [21] Appl. No. 834,000 [22] Filed June 17, 1969 [45] Patented Aug. 17, 1971 [54] PORTABLE TENT APPARATUS 11 Claims, 9 Drawing Figs. [52] US. Cl. 135/1 A, 135/5 A [51] Int. Cl. A451 1/00, A45f 1/16 [50] Field 135/1, l A, 3, 3 E, 4, 5 A

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,069,479 2/1937 Pluth 135/1 A 2,793,646 5/1957 Lefebure 135/1 A 3,073,326 H1963 Lefebure et al. 135/1 A 3,160,434 12/1964 Hedgepeth 135/1 A 3,228,405 1/1966 Bursey et al. 135/1 A 3,254,657 6/1966 Reger 135/1 A 3,333,594 8/1967 Moss Primary Examiner-Peter M. Caun Attorney-Allan Shapiro whereby the tent fabric is wound upon the roller for storage in' the canister and is unwound therefrom for setting up the tent. The poles are collapsible for storage within the canister and rapidly extendable for setting up the tent. The poles and canister combine to form a unitary structure for support of the tent fabric. The canister is horizontally extendable from the poles for mounting attachment of the canister upon an external structure, such as a vehicle, to provide a tent fabric canopy in interconnecting covering relationship between the erected tent and the vehicle. Height adjustment means are provided for varying the vertical displacement of the canister relative to the erected tent poles to accommodate variations in vehicle height or other location attachment of the canister to the vehicle or other external structure. The canister, with the poles and fabric stored therein, may be transported in attached relationship to the vehicle, and tent erection may be accomplished without removal of the canister from the vehicle.

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PORTABLE TENT APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention is directed to portable tent apparatus and particularly a tent with associated poles which are conveniently stored in a canister for transportation.

2. Description of the Prior Art Tents are well known, and most tents employ poles as means for support. Various pole interrelationships and joining structures have been'employed in the prior art tents, and many different configurations are available. There is a wide background in the field of tents, because tents have extended in size from one-man structures to those capable'of housing large performances and.large audiences. However, the tent apparatus of the present invention and mostof the priorart are directed to a tent structure of moderate or family size which can be readily erected by one man. Most of the prior art structures are directed merely to tent configuration and the configuration of the poles to hold the tents in the erected position. Additionally, there are some teachings directed to the storage of tents and poles, but these teachings are primarily directed to the storage of the tent fabrics and, in a few cases, to the rolling up of the tent fabric, while little effort has been directed toward the compatible storage of poles. The prior art has approached the tent storage problem as being directed to the two separate aspects of tent fabric storage and pole storage. This is a natural division, because the characters of the materials of these two major tent parts are such as to suggest different approaches to them. Accordingly, different storage means have generally been used for them. Further effortshave been made to provide various types of canopies attached to vehicles, but without practical attention to the desirability of utilization of the tent separately from the vehicle.

SUMMARY or THE INVENTION In order to aid in the understanding of this invention, it can be stated in essentially summary form that it is directed to portable tent apparatus comprising tent fabric, tent poles and a canister. The tent fabric is permanently attached toa roller permanently mounted within the canister whereby the tent fabric is wound upon the roller for storage in the canister and is unwound therefrom for setting up-the tent. The polesare collapsible for storage within the canister and rapidly extendable for setting up the tent. The poles and canister combine to form a unitary structure for support of the tent fabric. The canister is horizontally extendable from the poles for mounting attachment of the canister upon an external structure, such as a vehicle, to provide a tent fabric canopy in interconnecting covering relationship between the erected tent and the vehicle. Height adjustment means are provided for varying the vertical displacement of the canister relative to the erected tent poles to accommodate variations in vehicle height or other location attachment of the canister to the vehicle or other external structure. The canister, with the poles and fabric stored therein,'may be transported in attached relationship to the vehicle, and tent erection may be accomplished without removal of the canister from the vehicle.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a tent structure including tent fabric and poles which can be stored in a canister and transported thereby and which can be erected in conjunction with the canister to provide anerected tent. It is a further object to provide a vehicle-mountable canister with height adjustment means so that variations in canister height from the ground, when vehicle-mounted, can be overcome by adjustment so that a fixed-height tent can be erected in proper condition with respect to the ground. It is another object to provide a tent fabric and tent poles, which structures can be stored in a canister, and which can be quickly and readily deployed from and attached to the canister in order to quickly provide a usable tent structure; It

is a further object to provide a tent structure which can be mounted upon the roof of a small car, so that users of small cars can be equipped with a tent which is too large to be disposed in the luggage space of such a small car. It is a further object to provide a tent structure, including tent fabric and frame, wherein the frame is sturdy when erected and the fabric is secured thereto so that a tent' havingadequate wind strength is provided. It is a further object of this invention to provide a single portable tent apparatus which is effectively unitary in nature and, without modification, can be either manually or vehicularly transported, can be erected either separately or while attached to a vehicle, and can be either attached to or separated from a vehicle aftererection.

Still other objects, features and attendant advantages of the present invention, together with various modifications, will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment constructed in accordance therewith, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts in the several figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of tent apparatus in accordance with this invention, with an exemplary automobile employed in transporting the apparatus shown in broken lines.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing the tent poles as removed from the canister, in their operable relationship to the canister, with broken lines and arrows illustrating various aspects of structural assembly.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the tent poles in the erected condition, with a fragment of the canister being shown in canopyextended position in solid lines, and in canopy-retracted position in broken lines.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail showing a corner structure by which an end eave pole and one leg are pivoted on the end of one side eave' pole.

FIG. 5 is a transverse section through the canister showing the poles and tent fabric positioned therein prior to deployment.

FIGQ6 isa fragmentary enlarged end elevational view of the canister showing the canister height adjusting structure thereon. 7

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary elevational view in the direction of arrows 7-7 in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the canister and poles when the canister is in its position indicated in broken lines in FIG. 3.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary horizontal section through one of the pole legs and a portion of the adjacent tent fabric showing the manner in which the tent fabric is secured to the several pole legs.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, a preferred embodiment of the tent apparatus in accordance with this invention is indicated generally at 10 and is seen to comprise poles l2, fabric 14 and canister 16. Both the poles and fabric are storable within canister 16. Canister 16 is mountable upon a vehicle 18, preferably as part of a cartop carrier 20. Any convenient mounting means, not shown, can be employed for canister mounting. However, the canister is preferably securely and detachably mounted so that the vehicle may be employed either with or without the canister thereon or, conversely, the tent apparatus 10 may be employed without the vehicle. The canister maybe a permanent or detachable part of the cartop carrier 20 which has asufficient storage volume to store other goods. The canister 16' may be mounted at the rear of the vehicle roof, as with the station wagon illustrated, or along either right or left roof edges above a vehicle door.

As is seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, the-canister 16 is a housing having an open side to permit access to the hollow interior of the canister, and a' hinged cover 22 which is swingable to cover the open side for manual or cartop transport of the tent. In the open position of cover 22, shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, the stored portions of the tent can be withdrawn from the canister.

Both the structure of tent l and its manner of erection can be understood best by a description of the manner in which the parts are removed from the canister and the manner in which they are related to the canister and to each other. Accordingly, the following part of this description will be directed principally toward the manner of erection of the tent. Upon opening of cover 22, pole restraining bar 24 is seen to be engaged interiorly of the canister housing to retain the poles and tent fabric in place. Pole restraining bar 24 is pivoted at 26 so that it can be swung aside.

Sockets 28 are secured to the right-hand end wall 30 of canister 16. Similar sockets 32 (see FIG. 2) are provided on the left-hand end wall. After opening cover 22, left and right height adjustment bars 34 and 36, respectively, are secured to the sockets 32 and 28. Each of the height adjustment bars have pins 38 which are insertable into the sockets to be detachably retained therein. Preferably, spring loaded lock pin 40 engages through a cross hole in one of the sockets, and is engageable into a cross lock hole in the pin 38 to retain the pin therein. Accordingly, both height adjustment bars 34 and 36 are detachably secured in place.

Left and right eave pole sockets 42 and 44 are mounted upon height adjustment bars 34 and 36. The eave pole sockets are clamped upon the height adjustment bars, as by thumb nut 46 upon an appropriate clamp bolt, so that the pole sockets can be moved up and down the height adjustment bars, or vice versa, to a selected position and can be clamped there. When apparatus assembly is completed, the desired position of the eave pole sockets will correspond to the eave pole height from the ground. The open sides of the sockets are facing away from the canister, ready to accept eave poles.

1 Three-pole assembly 48 is removed from the canister. Three-pole assembly 48 includes left side eave pole 50 which has a telescopic inner member 52 therein. The free end of telescopic inner member 52 is inserted into left eave pole socket 42, and is preferably retained therein by means of an appropriate spring-loaded pin 54 which extends through the socket and engages in an appropriate hole in the telescopic inner member 52.

Left outer leg 56 is pivotally supported upon a pivot bracket, later described, secured on the end of left side eave pole 50. Left outer leg 56 is swung down from a position parallel to pole 52in angularly outward extending position where it acts as a leg pole for the finished tent. Brace 58 is doublepivoted at its center, and is pivotally mounted at its respective ends to cave pole 50 and leg 56 so that, when the leg 56 is swung to the desired position, the brace is substantially straight, as is illustrated in FIG. 3. When the leg 56 is swung into position, its lower end is telescopically extended down for ground engagement, as is illustrated in FIG. 1. Next, left inner leg 60 is swung down until its brace 62, pivoted at both ends and at center, is straight. The telescoping portion of leg 60 is moved down for ground engagement.

Next, four-pole assembly 64 is removed from the canister. Four-pole assembly 64 comprises right side eave pole 66 to which are pivoted legs 68 and 70. The free end of telescoping inner member 72 extends from pole 66 and is inserted into and locked into right eave pole socket 44. Next, the legs 68 and 70 are swung down until braces 74 and 76 are pivoted out to the straight position shown in FIG. 3, and indicated in broken lines in FIG. 2, and the telescoping inner portions of legs 68 and 70 are pulled out to ground-engaging position and are locked in that position.

As is seen in FIG. 4, a hinge or pivot bracket 78 is secured on the outer end of eave pole 66. Hinge bracket 78 has a socket into which the eave pole 66 is secured, and has angular flanges 80 and 82 extending from the socket portion of the bracket. Leg 68 has flange 84 secured to the end thereof, and flange 84 is pivotably pinned by means of pin 86 to angular flange 80. The angle of angular flange is such as to direct leg 68 at the proper outwardly extending angle. Front eave pole 88 is pivoted onto flange 82 by means of similar pin and flange structure, as is shown in FIG. 4. The opposite end of eave pole 88 carries a similar flat flange, which engages with hinge bracket 90 on the outer end of left side eave pole 50. Bracket 90 is identical to bracket 78, with the exception that front eave pole 88 is not originally hinged thereto, but is secured thereto as it is swung out into position. Thus, a pin is engaged between the outer end of front eave pole 88 and bracket 90 to secure the structure. Braces 92 and 94 are pivotably secured to front eave pole 88 and, when the legs 56 and 68 are in the position shown, the braces are swung down into position and clamped on the respective legs to further rigidize the structure. 1

In such condition, the poles 12 are ready to receive tent fabric 14 from the canister 16. It is to be noted that there is no rear eave pole because the canister serves as a spacing device for the rear of the pole structure 12.

Fabric 14 is wound on drum 96 (see FIG. 5) which is rotatably mounted in the canister 16. Now, all of the poles having been removed from the open side of the canister, the tent fabric 14 can be withdrawn therefrom. As the tent fabric is pulled out, it causes turning of drum 96 during the unwinding of the fabric. When the fabric is completely withdrawn, it is positioned between the legs of the frame formed by the various poles and the floor is stretched out. The eaves of the tent fabric are secured to the eave poles of the frame by means of loop fasteners of the nature shown in FIG. 9. Tabs 98 and 100 are secured to the comers of the fabric, and each carries half of the snap 102 thereon. By this means, the tent fabric is hung from the tent frame. Next, the ridge pole 104 is inserted at the tent ridge. Pivotally dependent legs 106 and 108 are swung down from ridge pole 104 and the end pins therein are engaged in appropriate holes in left and right side eave poles S0 and 66. Thus, the ridge is maintained in appropriate position to shed rain as well as to tension the roof of the tent fabric. It will be noted in FIG. 1 that the sidewalls of the tent fabric preferably extend upwardly to the roof or ridge panel and are stitched thereto, with a pair of opposite small holes (not shown) in the sidewalls just below the ridge for protrusion of the ends of the ridge pole 104 so that legs 106 and 108 are disposed exteriorly of their respective sidewalls.

Preferably, the lower corners of the fabric at the ground are engaged under the legs 56, 60, 68 and 70, and additional stakes 110 can be employed to secure the tent fabric to the ground. The fabric 14 remains attached to drum 96 by means of flap 112 which extends from the inner eave to the drum. It is this flap which, when the canister 16 is mounted on a vehicle or the like, protects the space between the vehicle and the tent, and pulls that eave tight. Preferably, the tent fabric has an opening toward the vehicle, as the tent is seen in FIG. 1, and also has an access and egress opening in the left side of the tent, away from the viewer in FIG. 1. Thus, easy egress and access to the tent is provided, both with respect to the vehicle and with respect to the outside.

It will be noted that, as described above, the erection of the tent apparatus is accomplished independently of whether or not the canister is attached to a vehicle, although it will be recognized that, when assembling on the ground without benefit of canister support by a vehicle, it is physically easier to assemble the pole frame first and then attach the canister 16 to the side eave poles S2 and 72 via the canister height adjustment means just prior to withdrawal of the tent fabric. There now will be described the only and minor differences between erection of the tent apparatus relative to a vehicle or independently.

When the canister is not mounted on anything external of the tent apparatus, the canister 16, as shown in FIG. 8 and in broken lines in FIG. 3, is located immediately adjacent the ends of side eave poles 50 and 66, with telescopic eave pole extensions 52 and 72 almost completely withdrawn into their respective eave poles 50 and 66. To further rigidize the struc- 60 and 70 up to canister 16 and their ends are secured by mounting brackets 118 and 120 which may be of any convenient type or specially adapted to serve for mounting the canister to a vehicle or cartop carrier when so disposed.

When the canister is externally mounted, as on a vehicle, braces 114 and 116 are not used, and eave pole extensions 52 and 72 are telescopically extended a distance sufficient to provide adequate clearance between the main tent structur'e'and the vehicle as well as to provide an interconnecting canopy by means offlap 112.

It now will be easily understood that, if the occasion arises, the vehicle may be removed from the scene after the attached tent is pitched. Mere detachment of canister 16 from the vehicle permits the tent apparatus to remain in its erected status. Then canister 16 is moved toward the cave poles 50 and 66 by cranking the exteriorly attachable manual handle 122 on drum 96 to wind flap 1 12 onto drum 96. This causes telescoping inner members 52 and 72 to respectively slide into the left and right side eave poles 50 and 66; when canister 16 is in the adjacent position of FIG. 8, braces 114 and 116 areattached. Thus, the canister is away from the vehicle and the vehicle can move away. 1

ltshould be clear that repacking of the tent fabric and poles into the canister is accomplished in reverse orders from that described above, it being noted that the tent fabric, after it is disengaged from the legs and from the ground, is wound up on drum 96 by manual cranking of the crank 122. Then all of the collapsed poles are placed in the canister. Thereupon, cover 22 is closed and the 'tent apparatus is fully packed, independently of whether the canister is attached to a vehicle or not.

This invention having been described in its preferred embodiment, it is clear that it is susceptible of numerous modifications and embodiments within the ability of those skilled in the art and without the exercise of the inventive faculty.

What I claim is:

1 Tent apparatus comprising:

tent fabric defining a complete tent enclosure;

tent poles including a parallel pair of side eave poles, said tent poles being interconnectable to form a tent frame;

a manually portable canister for the storage of said tent poles and tent fabric during nonuse of said tent and for the deployment of said tent poles and tent fabric for the I erection of the apparatus, said canister being adapted for mounting on a vehicle roof and, optionally, for disengagement from said vehicle roof;

a drum in said canister, said tent fabric being secured to said drum so that said tent fabric can be wound up onto said drum to be stored in said canister and partially unwound therefrom for apparatus erection; and

tent pole attachment means on said canister, corresponding ends of said side eave poles on a side of said tent frame perpendicular to said parallel side eave poles being engageable with said tent pole attachment means so that, when said tent is erected, said canister and poles form a unitary structure for support of said tent fabric, said canister, when'said tent poles are so engaged with said tent pole attachment means, forming the structural means connecting said parallel side eave poles at said side of said tent frame and, when disengaged from said vehicle being cantilevered on said corresponding ends and being solely supported by said tent frame, said tent fabric, when unwound, being supported by' said tent frame interiorly thereof.

2. The tent apparatus of claim 1 wherein inner and outer legs are pivotably secured to each of said side eave poles, said legs being pivotable from a position substantially parallel to said eave poles to a position wherein said legs are directed toward the ground.

3. The tent apparatus of claim 2 comprising:

a hinge bracket mounted upon the end of one of said side eave poles; and said tent poles include a joining third eave pole pivoted on said hinge bracket, said joining eave pole being positionable to join ends of said pair of side eave poles opposite to said corresponding ends so as to provide three interconnected eave poles.

4. The tent apparatus of claim 1 wherein said tent poles include a ridge pole positioned interiorly of said tent fabric to hold said fabric up in the form of a tent ridge, said ridge pole having legs depending from its ends and extending exteriorly of said tent fabric and engaging said side eave poles to be supported by said side eave poles.

5. The tent apparatus of claim 1 wherein said tent pole attachment means comprises height adjustment means for securing said corresponding ends of said side eave poles at selected vertical positions on said tent pole attachment means for selective adjustment of the relative heights of said canister and said side eave poles when erected.

6. The tent apparatus of claim 5 wherein said height adjustment means comprises: 7

a pair of upright height adjusting bars; and

a pair of eave pole engaging meansfor receiving the ends of said side eave poles and mounted on said bars in selectably securable vertically adjustable relationship thereto.

7. The tent apparatus of claim 6 wherein said canister has sockets therein, said height adjusting bars being detachably retained in said sockets so that said heightadjusting bars can be removed for canister closure.

8. The tent apparatus of claim 7 wherein said side eave poles include end extension members in telescopic engagement therewith at said corresponding ends for selective adjustment of the length of said side eave poles exteriorly of said legs whereby the distance between said canister and said frame is selectively adjustable.

9, The tent apparatus of claim 8 wherein inner and outer legs are pivotably secured to each of said side eave poles, said legs being pivotable from a position substantially parallel to said eave poles to a position wherein said legs are directed toward the ground.

10. The tent apparatus of claim 9 comprising:

a hinge bracket mounted upon the end of one of said side eave poles; and

said tent poles include a joining third eave pole pivoted on said hinge bracket, said joining eave pole being positionable to join ends of said pair of said eave poles opposite to said corresponding ends so as to provide three interconnected eave poles.

I 11. The tent apparatus of claim 9 wherein said tent poles include a ridge pole positioned interiorly of said tent fabric to hold said fabric up in the form of a tent ridge, said ridge pole having legs depending from its ends and extending exteriorly of said tent fabric and engaging said side eave poles to be supported by said side eave poles. 

1. Tent apparatus comprising: tent fabric defining a complete tent enclosure; tent poles including a parallel pair of side eave poles, said tent poles being interconnectable to form a tent frame; a manually portable canister for the storage of said tent poles and tent fabric during nonuse of said tent and for the deployment of said tent poles and tent fabric for the erection of the apparatus, said canister being adapted for mounting on a vehicle roof and, optionally, for disengagement from said vehicle roof; a drum in said canister, said tent fabric being secured to said drum so that said tent fabric can be wound up onto said drum to be stored in said canister and partially unwound therefrom for apparatus erection; and tent pole attachment means on said canister, corresponding ends of said side eave poles on a side of said tent frame perpendicular to said parallel side eave poles being engageable with said tent pole attachment means so that, when said tent is erected, said canister and poles form a unitary structure for support of said tent fabric, said canister, when said tent poles are so engaged with said tent pole attachment means, forming the structural means connecting said parallel side eave poles at said side of said tent frame and, when disengaged from said vehicle being cantilevered on said corresponding ends and being solely supported by said tent frame, said tent fabric, when unwound, being supported by said tent frame interiorly thereof.
 2. The tent apparatus of claim 1 wherein inner and outer legs are pivotably secured to each of said side eave poles, said legs being pivotable from a position substantially parallel to said eave poles to a position wherein said legs are directed toward the ground.
 3. The tent apparatus of claim 2 comprising: a hinge bracket mounted upon the end of one of said side eave poles; and said tent poles include a joining third eave pole pivoted on said hinge bracket, said joining eave pole being positionable to join ends of said pair of side eave poles opposite to said corresponding ends so as to provide three interconnected eave poles.
 4. The tent apparatus of claim 1 wherein said tent poles include a ridge pole positioned interiorly of said tent fabric to hold said fabric up in the form of a tent ridge, said ridge pole having legs depending from its ends and extending exteriorly of said tent fabric and engaging said side eave poles to be supported by said side eave poles.
 5. The tent apparatus of claim 1 wherein said tent pole attachment means comprises height adjustment means for securing said corresponding ends of said side eave poles at selected vertical positions on said tent pole attachment means for selective adjustment of the relative heights of said canister and said side eave poles when erected.
 6. The tent apparatus of claim 5 wherein said height adjustment means comprises: a pair of upright height adjusting bars; and a pair of eave pole engaging means for receiving the ends of said side eave poles and mounted on said bars in selectably securable vertically adjustable relationship thereto.
 7. The tent apparatus of claim 6 wherein said canister has sockets therein, said height adjusting bars being detachably retained in said sockets so that said height adjusting bars can be removed for canister closure.
 8. The tent apparatus of claim 7 wherein said side eave poles include end extension members in telescopic engagement therewith at said corresponding ends for selective adjustment of the length of said side eave poles exteriorly of said legs whereby the distance between said canister and said frame is selectively adjustable.
 9. The tent apparatus of claim 8 wherein inner and outer legs are pivotably secured to each of said side eave poles, said legs being pivotable from a position substantially parallel to said eave poles to a position wherein said legs are directed toward the ground.
 10. The tent apparatus of claim 9 comprising: a hinge bracket mounted upon the end of one of said side eave poles; and said tent poles include a joining third eave pole pivoted on said hinge bracket, said joining eave pole being positionable to join ends of said pair of said eave poles opposite to said corresponding ends so as to provide three interconnected eave poles.
 11. The tent apparatus of claim 9 wherein said tent poles include a ridge pole positioned interiorly of said tent fabric to hold said fabric up in the form of a tent ridge, said ridge pole having legs depending from its ends and extending exteriorly of said tent fabric and engaging said side eave poles to be supported by said side eave poles. 